Tuesday, 21 Jan 2014

Written Answers Nos. 223-241

Universal Social Charge Exemptions

Questions (223)

Jack Wall

Question:

223. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Finance if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare should be exempt from paying the universal social charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2830/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that, based on the information available to Revenue, the person concerned is exempt from paying the Universal Social Charge (USC) for 2014. 

An amended tax credit and USC Certificate will issue shortly to the person concerned and to his pension provider. The amount of USC deducted for 2014 will be refunded by his pension provider.

Departmental Records

Questions (224)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

224. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he is investigating the loss of documents related to the bank guarantee in 2009. [2866/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

My Department answered a freedom of information request received from the Deputy in December 2013 in which the Deputy sought a review of a decision in respect of an FOI received in 2009 which covered all correspondence between Minister Brian Lenihan and Chairpersons/Chief Executive Officers in those banks under the Government Guarantee Scheme for the period 1 August 2008 to 11 March 2009 as per FOI 066/2009 with a renewed assessment of whether each record could be released under FOI rules.

The Department answered the request on 5 December, 2013. In its response, the Department indicated that it could not consider whether to redact or release two of the documents as it could not locate the original copies of the documents. It did however provide the redacted copies of the correspondence along with an extract from one of the letters from the Ministerial representation system.  

I understand that the documents in question relate to correspondence between third parties with the Minister for Finance copied into the correspondence and are not directly related to the guarantee.

My Department is continuing its efforts to locate the original documents received in the department, and is also investigating whether copies are available from the original correspondents.

Departmental Records

Questions (225)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

225. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the officeholders in the previous and current Government who would have had access to the letters that cannot be found at his Department relating to the bank guarantee in 2009. [2867/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

All correspondence addressed to, or copied to the Minister of Finance, is available to the incumbent office holder of the Ministry of Finance. 

Departmental Records

Questions (226)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

226. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he will carry out a full audit to ascertain if any further document relating to the bank guarantee have been lost. [2868/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The Department has procedures relating to records management and the maintenance of information. These procedures include additional controls related to sensitive files and documents. I am not aware of any documents in the period relating to the bank guarantee that cannot be located.  

Departmental Records

Questions (227)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

227. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if he is confident that all information in his Department that might be relevant to a banking inquiry is still available. [2869/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

In advance of any banking inquiry, the Department has commenced a project with a view to ensuring the completeness and integrity of its records from the period. I consider that our processes ensure that relevant information can be made available where necessary.

Departmental Records

Questions (228)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

228. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the procedures that exist in his Department for the maintenance of sensitive files; if he will review these procedures in view of the loss of documents relating to the bank guarantee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2870/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The Department has procedures relating to records management. These procedures include additional controls related to sensitive files and documents. As part of the process, the section in the Department to whom the file is registered specifies whether the file should only be seen by that section. On the file tracking system the file is marked on the comment field as containing private and confidential material or secret material. These procedures are reviewed regularly.

Voluntary Sector Funding

Questions (229)

Catherine Byrne

Question:

229. Deputy Catherine Byrne asked the Minister for Finance the voluntary and community organisations funded by his Department in 2013, or the most recent year for which information is available; and the amount provided in each case and the purpose for which it was provided. [2873/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

My Department has not funded any community or voluntary organisation in 2013. In the past there were payments from the Vote for the Office of the Minister for Finance  to the promoters of certain charitable lotteries. These payments were funded by the National Lottery.  However, the functions that gave rise to the payments were transferred to the Department of Public Expenditure  and Reform arising from the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 2011 and a Transfer of Functions Order, while the payments were transferred to the Vote for Justice and Equality, also in 2011.

European Investment Bank Loans

Questions (230)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

230. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the amounts Ireland received from the European Investment Bank for each year since 2008; and if he will provide a breakdown by project of what this money funded or part-funded. [2955/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance (Deputy Michael Noonan)

The Deputy will find below a table with a breakdown of Irish projects assisted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) including: the amounts for loans approved; the approval date; the sector involved; and the signature dates for the loans approved in respect of the period 2008 2013.

The Deputy should note that the total amount of EIB support in a particular year may include loans approved by the Board in that year as well as signatures in respect of loans approved in previous years.

Project	Sector	Approval Date	Signature Date	Amount (EURm) Approved	Amount (EURm) Signed
AIB Renewable Energy Framework Loan	Energy	19-Nov-13		100
Dublin Cross City Luas Project	Transport	25-Oct-13		163
Grangegorman PPP	Infrastructure	22-Oct-13		110
ESB Renewable Connection	Energy	17-Sep-13	09-Dec-13	200	100
University of Limerick	Education	12-Jul-13	26-Nov-13	100	100
Vodafone Mobile Limited	Corporate	23-Jul-13	27-Nov-13	120	118
Irish School Programme II	Education	23-Apr-13	19-Jun-13	100	100
N11/N7 Motorway PPP	Infrastructure	14-Jul-10	30-Apr-13		72
AIB Loan for SMEs and Midcaps	SMEs	20-Nov-12	26-Apr-13		100
Bord Gáis Onshore Wind Programme	Energy	07-Dec-12	23-Apr-13		90
EIF Development Capital Fund Ireland	EIF	16-Sep-13		40	40
-			Total	933	720

Total net funding approved and/or signed in 2013: 1,193m

2012

Project	Sector	Approval Date	Signature Date	Amount (EURm) Approved	Amount (EURm) Signed
AIB Loan for SMEs and Midcaps	SMEs	20-Nov-12	21-Dec-12	200	100
Bord Gáis Onshore Wind Programme	Energy	07-Dec-12	23-Apr-13	90
Bord Gáis Onshore Wind Programme	Energy	07-May-12	28-Nov-12	155	155
Irish Water Investment Programme	Energy	26-Oct-12	28-Nov-12	200	100
Irish Schools Investment Programme	Education	21-Jun-12	09-Nov-12		50
Irish School Programme	Education	05-Jun-12	06-Jul-12	100	100
Bank of Ireland Loan for SME II	SMEs	15-Mar-12		100
EIF Funding				91.1
-			Total	936.1	505

Total net funding approved and/or signed in 2012: 986.1m

2011

Project	Sector	Approval Date	Signature Date	Amount (EURm) Approved	Amount (EURm) Signed
AIB Loan for SMEs II	SMEs	16-Nov-10	21-Dec-11		150
University College Dublin	Education	10-May-11	17-Nov-11	90	90
ESB Network and E-Cars Infrastructure	Energy	15-Nov-11	17-Nov-11	235	235
Irish Schools Investment Programme	Education	21-Jun-11		50
-			Total	375	475

Total net funding approved and/or signed in 2011: 525m

2010

Project	Sector	Approval Date	Signature Date	Amount (EURm) Approved	Amount (EURm) Signed
AIB Loan for SMEs II	SMEs	16-Nov-10		150
Car Efficiency and Safety RDI RSFF	Industry	Date not available	01-Oct-10	15	15
Bord Gáis Whitegate CCGT	Energy	18-Dec-09	02-Jul-10		197
Irish Schools Investment Programme	Education	Date not avaiable	02-Jun-10	44	44
N11/N7 Motorway PPP	Infrastructure	14-Jul-10		75
N17/N18 Motorway PPP	Infrastructure	11-May-10		170
Dublin Metro PPP Project	Infrastructure	11-May-10		500
-			Total	954	256

Total net funding approved and/or signed in 2010: 1,151m

2009

Project	Sector	Approval Date	Signature Date	Amount (EURm) Approved	Amount (EURm) Signed
Bord Gáis Whitegate CCGT	Energy	18-Dec-09		197
Dublin Airport Terminal 2 (TEN)	Transport	14-Jul-09	10-Nov-09	260	260
ESB Renewable Programme	Energy	18-Sep-09	28-Sep-09	200	200
Eirgrid East-West Interconnector TEN-E	Energy	22-Sep-09	28-Sep-09	300	300
Bank of Ireland Loan for SME I	SMEs	12-Mar-09	25-Mar-09	100	100
AIB Loan for SME I	SMEs	12-Mar-09	25-Mar-09	100	100
Ulster Bank Loan for SME I	SMEs	12-Mar-09	24-Mar-09	60	60
-			Total	1217	1020

Total net funding approved and/or signed in 2009: 1,217m

2008

Project	Sector	Approval Date	Signature Date	Amount (EURm) Approved	Amount (EURm) Signed
Trinity College Dublin (Bioscience Building)	Education	26-Sep-08	27-Nov-08	75	75
ESB Aghada Gas Fired Power Station	Energy	25-Jul-08	26-Nov-08	175	175
Dublin Airport Development -TEN	Transport		20-Jun-08		200
			Total	250	450

Total net funding approved and/or signed in 2008: 450m

Gaelscoileanna Issues

Questions (231)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

231. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is no dedicated office within his Department to support, fund and respond to the demand for Irish-medium education; and the reason much needed resources have not been made available to oversubscribed gaelscoileanna; and the reason the North of Ireland's progress in the development of Irish-medium education cannot be replicated here in order that the educational needs of parents, teachers and students are met. [2653/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The reason there is no dedicated office within my Department is that provision of funding and support for Irish-medium education is a transversal responsibility involving many sections within the Department.

An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) a body under the aegis of my Department which was founded under the provisions of Article 31 of the Education Act of 1998. Its role relates to both primary and post-primary education and the three main areas of work are the provision of teaching resources and the provision of support services to Irish Medium Schools and research.

Foras na Gaeilge provides funding to Gaelscoileanna. In 2012 some €431k was provided and in 2013 the funding allocation was €396k. An amount of €204k has been allocated for the first six months of 2014.

I would like to inform the Deputy that Gaelscoileanna has been selected as the lead organisation to promote Irish medium/ immersion education and Irish-medium preschool education on an all-island basis from this July.

My Department is aware of the excellent resources produced in Northern Ireland and COGG is in regular communication with colleagues from Northern Ireland with a view to sharing expertise.

Provision is made within our services to ensure that there are sufficient resources to meet the demand for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for Irish-medium education. The Professional Development Service for Teachers have a clear mandate to respond to teachers needs for CPD and resources as appropriate and the Education Centre Network responds as required to local needs.

The PDST work with their Northern Ireland counterparts (CESI) in the sharing of resources, knowledge and expertise for Irish medium education.

It is also important to note that in the last few years patronage has been awarded to An Foras Pátrunachta Na Scoileanna Lán Ghaeilge in respect of six schools. (two primary schools in 2011, two primary schools in 2012 along with two post-primary schools).

SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Provision

Questions (232, 235)

Joe Higgins

Question:

232. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has estimated the potential drop out rate by apprentices from courses they have undertaken with FÁS/SOLAS arising from the introduction of fees for those courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2333/14]

Mattie McGrath

Question:

235. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the new fees applicable to trainee apprentices in view of the undue hardship this fee will impose on some of the lowest earners in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2371/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 235 together.

The Annual Student Contribution is levied on apprentices and students attending Institutes of Technology. This contribution has been levied by Institutes of Technology in respect of apprentices since 2004, with FÁS/SOLAS paying 70% of the contribution and apprentices themselves paying the remainder. As part of Budget 2014, SOLAS will cease making this payment to the Institutes of Technology and apprentices themselves will pay the full pro rata Annual Student Contribution.

The charge is €833 for the vast majority of apprentices scheduled on an off the job phase in an Institute of Technology in the academic year 2013/14, but is more than this for a small number of apprentices attending phases that are longer than the typical 10-11 weeks.

Apprentices will pay the same contribution as students, apportioned for the time they spend in the Institutes. Unlike students, apprentices are paid a training allowances by SOLAS for phases of their training spent in Institutes of Technology. This allowance is equivalent to the wages they receive from their employers for on the job phases and is unaffected by the budgetary changes. Although apprentices are not eligible to receive student grants, the value of their training allowance would be greater than the maintenance available under the student grant scheme.

This decision was taken against a difficult budgetary background and there is no scope to re-visit it. I am confident that apprentices, who are in receipt of allowances and have invested time and effort to reach phase 4 and 6 of their apprenticeships, will see the value of the programme they are on and remain to completion.

Bullying in Schools

Questions (233, 278)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

233. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which his Department has monitored incidents of bullying among children or teenagers; if any particular issues have arisen wherein it might be possible to discourage all forms of bullying of young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53794/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

278. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of reports of various forms of school bullying reported or identified in 2013; the degree to which any new initiatives have been taken to address this issue. [2919/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 278 together.

There is no requirement that schools report incidents of bullying behaviour to my Department.

The Deputy will be aware that I recently published new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools. These new procedures have been developed following consultation with the relevant education partners and replace guidelines that were issued to schools in 1993.

The procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour amongst its pupils. They include specific requirements in relation to the use of prevention and education strategies and the consistent investigation, follow up and recording of bullying behaviour.

The procedures however include important new oversight arrangements that involve the school Principal reporting regularly to the Board of Management and a requirement for the Board to undertake an annual review of the school's anti- bullying policy and its implementation. Confirmation that the annual review has been completed must be provided to the parents association and published on the school website.

All schools are now required to immediately commence the necessary arrangements for developing and formally adopting an anti-bullying policy that fully complies with the requirements of the new procedures. This is expected to be completed by each school as early as possible in the 2013/14 school year but in any event by no later than the end of the second term of the 2013/14 school year.

Departmental Reports

Questions (234)

Barry Cowen

Question:

234. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by his Department including payments from ministerial allowances, broken down by report; if he will provide the details of any consultants employed; the names of each report and their status as published or ongoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2359/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Details in relation to consultants engaged by my Department are compiled annually in respect of the previous year. While the information in respect of 2013 has not yet been compiled I attach details of the amounts paid to consultants by my Department in 2011 and 2012. Details in relation to 2013 are currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as they are available.My Department does not pay a Ministerial allowance to either myself or the Ministers of States.

Total amounts paid by the Department of Education and Skills to Consultants in 2011 and 2012

YEAR 2011

Consultants,Experts, Advisors	Status of Report	Purpose	Total Cost
Centre for Cross Border Studies	*	2011 annual review of Post graduate courses in Northern Ireland	€2,420.00
Jim Duffy & Pat McLoughlin members of an independent panel appointed by the Secretary General re designation of a single awarding authority	No Report	The independent panel shortlisted a number of proposals, made recommendations to the Minister on the preferred proposal for designation of a single awarding authority and made recommendations it considered necessary in relation to modification or development of the preferred proposal for implementation purposes	€1,927.86
Gartner	No Report	Subscription for provision of ICT research, advice, guidance & related services to the IT Unit 1/10/2011 - 30/09/2012	€35,150.49
Sr. Eileen Randles	*	External Reviewer in an appeal against an inspection under section 13 (9) of the Education Act 1998	€920.00
Dr Simon Marginson	Published by the HEA June 2011	Development & submission to DOES of draft criteria for the proposed re-designation of amalgamated institutes of Technology Universities arising from the recommendations of the National Strategy  for Higher Education to 2030	€9,075.00
Farrell Grant Sparks	No Report	Follow up work and provision of advice in relation to the FGS report	€8,410.71
Forum on Patronage & Pluralism in the Primary Sector-Professor John Coolahan, Dr Caroline Hussey, Fionnuala Kilfeather	Published April 2012	Advisory Group to convene the Forum on Patronage & Pluralism in the Primary Sector, to receive and distil the various views and perspectives of participants and to report and advise the Minister	€20,000.00
Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP (PWC) Belfast	Published DES website March 2012	Evaluation of the Special Education Support Service established by the Department in 2003 to address the then rather fragmented provision of continuing professional development in the area of special education.	€97,866.01
Goodbody Economic Consultants	Published February 2012	Evaluation of the Initial Implementation of Síolta, the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education	€31,280.92
The PA Consulting Group	Published DES website Nov. 2011	Evaluation of the training & education programmes for the unemployed delivered under LMAF 2010	€52,003.38
Fitzpatrick & Associates	Published ESF website Aug. 2011	Mid term Evaluation of the Human Capital Investment Operational Programme 2007-2013	€61,589.00
Deloitte	*	To carry out audits of the national agencies for the Lifelong Learning Programme in Ireland, these will serve as the basis for the submission of Declarations of Assurance from International Section to the European Commission	€16,299.00
Public Authority Pension Services Ltd	*	Pensions advisory work relating to the establishment of a pension scheme for staff of the NCTE	€4,791.60
Analysys Mason	*	Commercial Financial & Technical Procurement advice for Schools Broadband Tender	€63,632.51
Grant Thornton	*	External audit of Dell and Waterford Crystal EGF programmes	€5,445.00
		2011 Total:	€410,811.48

*Internal reports not for publication.

2012

Consultants,Experts, Advisors	Status of Report	Purpose	Total Cost
Analysys Mason	*	Commercial, financial and technical advice on the procurement of broadband services for schools	€52,040.42
Goodbody Economic Consultants	Published	Evaluation of the Initial Implementation of Síolta, the National Quality framework for Early Childhood Education	€16,747.68
Mazars	*	IT Security Audit of the EUSF IT Database	€5,063.91
Mazars	*	Audit of Labour Market Activation Fund (LMAF)	€9,839.14
Version 1	No Report	Provision of Oracle Financials training support along with training documentation in the implementation of Performance Budgeting	€2,070.00
Mokum Change Management Ltd	No Report	Provision of Oracle Financials training support along with training documentation in the implementation of Performance Budgeting	€17,302.88
Seamus O'Dwyer-Consulting and Training	No Report	Training and expert advice relating to the Public Service Pensions Bill	€2,700.00
Sydney Blain	*	Review of an appeal against an inspection under section 13(9) of the Education Act	€718.75
Mokum Change Management Ltd	No Report	Provision of Oracle Financials functional & accounting advice in moving from a four vote operating unit to a single operating unit	€11,606.90
Sir Jim Rose	No Report	Provision of international expertise on Literacy & Numeracy to the Literacy & Numeracy Implementation Advisory Committee	€3,870.13
Gartner	No Report	Subscription for provision of ICT research, advice, guidance & related services to the IT Unit	€36,788.67
Sion Quality Healthcare Solutions	*	Completion of a workplace assessment for staff member with a disability and resulting report	€370.00
Pat McLoughlin	No Report	Chair of Independent Panel re the establishment of the single grant awarding authority	€83.66
The Centre for Cross Border Studies	*	2012 review paper of Republic of Ireland post graduates in Northern Ireland	€1,845.00
Deloitte	*	Preparation of a Declaration of Assurance in respect of the Lifelong Learning Programme	€16,568.10
		2012 Total:	€177,615.24

*Internal report not for publication.

Question No. 235 answered with Question No. 232.

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Questions (236, 265)

Tom Fleming

Question:

236. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide funding to the board of management of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry, to enable them to proceed with their plans to develop a proper facility to replace the current restricted and totally inadequate and cramped play area which is a health and safety hazard for the 111 children attending this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2387/14]

Martin Ferris

Question:

265. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will prioritise an application for funding under the summer works scheme in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2826/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 265 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications are currently being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (59/2013) is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to publish a list of successful applicants in early 2014.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (237)

Noel Coonan

Question:

237. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a building project for a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the timeframe for completion of works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2394/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. All Statutory Approvals have been received and the Design Team are working on the completion of stage 2(b) of Architectural Planning.

Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was not possible to include this project in the 5 year construction programme announced in March 2012.

School building projects, including the project referred to by the Deputy, which were previously initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to the Department in the future.

Proposed Legislation

Questions (238)

Patrick Nulty

Question:

238. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the education (admissions to schools) Bill; the provision the Bill will make to ensure that all children have appropriate access to State-funded schools; his views on the practice whereby some schools ask for the baptismal certificates of pupils before enrolment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2399/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that last September, I published a draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 as well as draft regulations for discussion ahead of enacting legislation. These are available on my Department's website. The aim of these proposals is to ensure that the way schools decide on applications for enrolment is structured, fair and transparent.

Existing equality legislation, which outlaws discrimination in relation to the admission of a student, makes provision for exemptions to apply in the case of single sex schools and in the case of schools where the objective is to provide education in an environment that promotes certain religious values. The legislation provides that any school that has this objective may admit a student of a particular religious denomination in preference to other students. Such a school can also refuse to admit a student who is not of that religion, provided it can prove that this refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school. The draft General Scheme does not propose changes to the existing equality legislation.

I have referred the draft General Scheme and draft regulations to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection, to allow a full public discussion of the proposed legislative framework, including inputs from parents and the education partners. The draft General Scheme and draft regulations are currently under consideration by the Joint Committee. When it has completed its consideration, I will reflect carefully on the Committee's report before progressing to the next stage of legislation.

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Questions (239, 242, 253, 264, 283)

Michael Lowry

Question:

239. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills his view on whether it is fair that a school that has commenced a school book rental scheme is excluded from the recently announced book rental grant, even if this scheme is only operational in one class at present; if he will consider extending this to include schools that have a partial book rental scheme; if he will review the case of a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary to determine their eligibility for grant aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2405/14]

Michael McGrath

Question:

242. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to an issue raised in correspondence (details supplied) by a primary school principal in Cork City; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2422/14]

Willie Penrose

Question:

253. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills in the context of correspondence (details supplied), if he will take steps to address the anomaly that has arisen under the recently announced grants for book rental schemes, which excludes schools, which in many areas, promoted and advanced school book rental schemes and which are now disadvantaged because of their enterprise; if additional funding can be secured to enable these far seeing schools to be accommodated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2638/14]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

264. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills his proposals for book rental schemes in schools; the reason the scheme is being limited to schools that do not already have a book rental scheme in place; if he will consider extending the scheme so that it supports the initiatives of schools that, through voluntary efforts of teachers and parents, have established book rental schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2816/14]

Ciaran Lynch

Question:

283. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Skills the assistance available to a school (details supplied) in County Cork with an existing book rental scheme to enable it to continue the scheme into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2928/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 239, 242, 253, 264 and 283 together.

First let me clarify that the Department will continue to provide a book grant as usual to all primary schools. This grant, can be utilised for the purposes of updating or expanding a school's existing book rental scheme.

I want to commend all schools that have used it to help build up book rental schemes over the years. Their efforts mean that the high costs of school books is being significantly reduced for parents.

At my request, the National Parents' Council surveyed the views of their members in relation to currently operating book rental schemes. Parents have reported that where book rental schemes operate, they are open to all parents in 95% of cases, and that the cost per child is under €40 per year in a considerable majority of schools.

Perhaps most tellingly, the survey has found that 93% of parents believe that book rental schemes help with the costs of educating a child. Ensuring that book rental schemes are available to all parents must therefore clearly be our aim.

I understand that it feels unfair to those schools who have invested time and money to establish such schemes, that they now cannot benefit from the additional funding which was secured as part of the Budget. Of course it is unfair, but equally, the status quo was deeply unfair on many parents. The parents who had no access whatsoever to book rental schemes needed more support. With the limited funding available, I believe that targeting this funding - to make sure that every parent in Ireland has access to some level of a book rental scheme - was the greatest good that could be achieved.

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Questions (240, 252)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

240. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for summer works grant in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2406/14]

Brendan Griffin

Question:

252. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a summer works scheme grant will be made available to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2635/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 252 together.

I wish to advise the Deputies that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications are currently being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (59/2013) is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to publish a list of successful applicants in early 2014.

School Guidance Counsellors

Questions (241)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

241. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reverse the decision that was taken in September 2012 to cut school counselling services as this is having a deep and serious effect on our young people who suffer from bullying, self-harm and low self-esteem on a daily basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2414/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Guidance is a whole school activity and schools have autonomy on how best to prioritise their available resources to meet the requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to students. This operates at local school level. The representative organisations for School Principals and school management developed a framework that assists schools on how best to manage the provision of guidance from within their staffing allocation. This approach puts a greater emphasis on group-work and class-based activity at senior cycle and maximises the amount of time available for those pupils that need one to one support. Since September 2012 guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the staffing schedule allocation. In this way principals have discretion to balance guidance needs with the pressures to provide subject choice. My Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations. All 195 second-level schools in DEIS have been given targeted support by a more favourable staffing schedule of 18.25:1. This is a 0.75 point reduction compared to the existing PTR of 19:1 that applies in non fee-paying second-level schools (23:1 in fee-charging schools).

My Department recently published new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools. These new procedures have been developed following consultation with the relevant education partners and replace guidelines that were issued to schools in 1993. The procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour amongst its pupils.

In addition, my Department published Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention, which I launched jointly with Minister Kathleen Lynch last January. The guidelines are informed by consultation with key Education and Health partners and by the findings of current research. They provide practical guidance to post-primary schools on how they can promote mental health and well-being in an integrated school-wide way and they also provide evidence-based advice on how to support young people who may be at risk of suicidal behaviour.